BMN on the Web

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Three BMN members, Victoria, Pamella, and Niall did the annual: Minnekhada Farm , Christmas Bird Count,(CBC) ( from Cedar Drive,(starting at DeBoville Slough) to Minnekhada Farm, along Quarry Road, Gilleys Trail, Cedar Drive, Deboville Slough )
This years bird count results are the numbers on the left, and last years in brackets on the right.Bold is showing that this species was not counted in 2012

Counted 17 species, and 18 last year, but not all the same species.
Total number of birds was 252, in 2012; and 179 this year.

Bird nests in the stables at Minnekhada Farm, nearly every fire sprinkler head support
had this style of nest, associated with it.

We have to keep out of the areas with the naturalist bears in them.

As we walked along Cedar Drive, we came across a squished Norway rat on the road and within a few metres of it was a Roughskin newt also in the middle of the road. A very sluggish salamander it was in the cool temperatures, rescued by Pamella and put onto the road verge to hopefully find a safer place to hang out, rather than the center of the road. We also spotted a Eastern grey squirrel at Minnekhada Farm, not a welcome visitor in this area.

And some pictures from Pamella Zevitt of the adventure...

Roughskin newt

Roughskin newt

Mist over the ponds at Minnekhada

Good example of the visibility on the count day

Niall with a little friend on his shoulder

On the way back, my ancient boots decided enough was enough, and self-destructed.